Mini-dissertation (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Today's organisations are faced with changes such as increased competition and technological changes, not to mention the impact of globalisation on South African organisations. In a sense, the 21" century brought forth a more positive outlook and is described by some as the century of fortegenic living and wellness. Organisations today are searching for programmes that support strengths and wellness, as opposed to the historic employee assistance programmes. Spiritual wellness seems to be the antibiotic for these negative impacts. The objective of this study was to conceptualise spiritual work wellness and develop basic, generic guidelines for the implementation of spiritual work wellness programmes within .the diverse organisational context of South Africa. A qualitative method was applied as the approach that guided the research. The participants were recruited by making use of a combined purposive and network sampling. The sample size (N = 10) was determined by data saturation. Data gathering was done by means of a semi-structured interview with each of the participants. Where the need arose, the participants were afforded the opportunity for in-depth discussions and clarification. Data-analysis was done by means of cognitive mapping, followed by the transcription of data and the combined technique of content analysis. Data-analysis was also done by an independent co-coder. From the discussion of the research results and literature control, conclusions were made regarding spiritual wellness with specific reference to the workplace and to how spiritual wellness is conceptualised from the literature and also to the contribution of that conceptualisation towards answering certain essential questions. More conclusions concerning spiritual work wellness were made through the experts’ perceptions of how spiritual work wellness relates to the South African work force. Through further discussion of the results, guidelines were formulated for effective spiritual work wellness programme implementation within the diverse workforce of South Africa and were reflected in the recommendations of the research. / Mini-dissertation (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Today's organisations are faced with changes such as increased competition and technological changes, not to mention the impact of globalisation on South African organisations. In a sense, the 21" century brought forth a more positive outlook and is described by some as the century of fortegenic living and wellness. Organisations today are searching for programmes that support strengths and wellness, as opposed to the historic employee assistance programmes. Spiritual wellness seems to be the antibiotic for these negative impacts. The objective of this study was to conceptualise spiritual work wellness and develop basic, generic guidelines for the implementation of spiritual work wellness programmes within .the diverse organisational context of South Africa. A qualitative method was applied as the approach that guided the research. The participants were recruited by making use of a combined purposive and network sampling. The sample size (N = 10) was determined by data saturation. Data gathering was done by means of a semi-structured interview with each of the participants. Where the need arose, the participants were afforded the opportunity for in-depth discussions and clarification. Data-analysis was done by means of cognitive mapping, followed by the transcription of data and the combined technique of content analysis. Data-analysis was also done by an independent co-coder. From the discussion of the research results and literature control, conclusions were made regarding spiritual wellness with specific reference to the workplace and to how spiritual wellness is conceptualised from the literature and also to the contribution of that conceptualisation towards answering certain essential questions. More conclusions concerning spiritual work wellness were made through the experts’ perceptions of how spiritual work wellness relates to the South African work force. Through further discussion of the results, guidelines were formulated for effective spiritual work wellness programme implementation within the diverse workforce of South Africa and were reflected in the recommendations of the research. / Mini-dissertation (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The medical community recognizes the importance of regular, vigorous exercise. The evidence is indeed overwhelming in support of physical fitness for the prevention of disease and disability; yet nearly 80% of the population does not exercise enough to produce a health benefit (CDC, 2018). Thus, it is necessary to find a way to assist individuals to increase an awareness concerning physical fitness and furthermore, overall wellness awareness. This quantitative study?s instructional intervention treatment interlaced the six dimensions of wellness and Knowles andragogy interwoven within a single activity; in this case water exercise. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess if adult participation in aquatic exercise classes results in increased awareness, longer lasting self-reported behavioral choices regarding the six dimensions of wellness. This study utilized a split-plot (mixed) factorial ANOVA with two treatment groups (experimental and control) and three occasions of measurements. Furthermore, this study?s assessment was a pretest, posttest 1, and posttest 2 wellness inventory to explore what changes adults perceived throughout the water exercise course and three weeks later. The research explored participants awareness based on teaching and learning plans that intertwined Knowles? (2015) andragogy with the depth and breadth of the wellness dimensions while participating in water exercise. Hence, participants gained an awareness of each wellness dimension. In this research the six dimensions of wellness is: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, environmental, and spiritual wellness. The six dimensions of wellness is an approach to life. It is how a person interacts with their surroundings. Thus, physical fitness is a portion of one?s whole wellness. But introducing the six dimensions into one activity demonstrated an awareness of overall wellness. This study was a step in the right direction as it confirmed adults? increased awareness concerning overall wellness interwoven with Knowles andragogy while participating in water exercise.

Job dissatisfaction is becoming a fundamental concern for employers. Employee engagement makes an organization more productive and can reduce absenteeism. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between employer-sponsored wellness-program participation and job satisfaction among for-profit college and university leaders. Data collection involved an online survey of 400 faculty members' from for-profit universities in the United States contacted using the Job Satisfaction Survey; 103 participants completed the survey. The theoretical framework was the need-satisfaction theory, which includes the factors that promote job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction. The results came from a multiple regression analysis that indicated a significant negative relationship between job satisfaction and participation in the employer-sponsored wellness program (β = -.22, t = -2.24, p = .027), where faculty who were not participating in the wellness program had higher levels of job satisfaction (M = 3.62) in comparison to those who did participate (M = 3.80). Interaction analyses indicated a relationship between gender and job satisfaction (β = -.26, t = -2.70, p = .008). Females were more likely than were males to have higher levels of job satisfaction, as well as years of experience and job satisfaction. Faculty who had been employed for between 11 and 15 years were more likely to have higher levels of job satisfaction. Job satisfaction appear lower for those who participate in employer-sponsored wellness programs because of the personal gratification employees' experience. The findings may contribute to social change with information that leaders could use to reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and profitability.

The study was about employees’ perception of wellness in the workplace, where a company had to exemplify the workplace as an arena for health promotion. The study was conducted to provide more knowledge about how the wellness in the workplace can be developed to change exercise habits and increase physical activity. The aim of the study is to investigate how the wellness is carried out at a midsize company and also on this basis to analyze and propose actions in the purpose to activate all the employees in a workplace. The questions that were asked were how the wellness in the workplace is being used, the employees’ perception of wellness in their workplace, and how actions for wellness can be developed in purpose to increase employees’ physical activity. The methodology of the study was based on a qualitative methodology with semi-structured interviews on ten employees in various professional groups. The study concluded that three main obstacles to employees ‘participation in wellness programs, and physical exercise exist. These were time, motivation and work situation. The results also show that there are certain factors that can reduce these barriers.

Informal caregiving for aging Canadians plays a vital role in the health care system, and scholars have noted the urgency and primacy of studying this important contribution provided by a relatively invisible cadre of volunteers, family members and friends. Despite the recent attention caregiving has received in the scholarly literature, it is dominated by quantitative research. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the lived experiences of female caregivers in terms of their perspectives on caregiving and their own personal health and wellness. A sample of seven female caregivers was obtained using a combination of both purposive and snowball sampling. Through semi-structured interviews participants were asked to describe their experiences as a caregiver. A primary theme “one day at a time” emerged from the data. Within this overarching narrative were three sub-themes: “Intensive care”, “Transitions”, and “Support” found to characterize their caregiving realities including both positive and negative aspects. Capturing a rich understanding of the lived experience of female caregivers, intentionally including and honouring their voices, can inform the design and implementation of health promoting policies, programs, and interventions, as well as identify avenues and approaches to future research. / Graduate

While innovation, individualisation, human rights and quality of life are acknowledged and valued by modern society, changes in the workplace such as a focus on efficiency, globalisation, restructuring, downsizing, acquisitions and merges impact, often negatively, on a workforce. A better understanding ofthese forces, as well as understanding the deeper needs of employees in organisations, should be pursued in order to optimise the workplace. South Africa is currently experiencing a skills shortage while the unemployment figures are well above 40 percent. As it is often said, the distinguishing economic resource in the twenty-first century is not commodities, but the human resource that organisations need to attract, develop and motivate in order to retain the correct type of employees. An approach is needed where both positive outcomes for the individual worker and the organisation may be achieved, including organisational performance, effective management of change, greater employee engagement and commitment, and effective talent management. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify any relationship that might exist between psychological empowerment, job satisfaction and work engagement and to determine whether psychological empowerment may predict job satisfaction and work engagement. A cross-sectional survey design was used in the study. One-hundred-and-fifty- three (N = 153) employees participated in the study in a surface coatings manufacturing organisation in Gauteng. The Psychological Empowerment Scale (MEQ), Revised Job Satisfaction Scale (JSQ), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) were used. The results indicated that a statistically significant positive correlation between intrinsic motivation and work engagement (practically significant, medium effect) and meaning, correlated positively (practically significant, medium effect) with intrinsic motivation and work engagement. Extrinsic motivation correlated statistically significantly (practically significant, large effect) with work engagement. VI The regresslOn analysis indicated that 34 percent of the variance explained in work engagement is predicted by psychological empowerment (i.e. influence (impact and self-detennination), meaning, and competence) and job satisfaction (i.e. extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation). No statistically significant differences regarding psychological empowerment could be found between tenure and educational levels. However, statistically significant differences were found for gender and language groups. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

This study aims to study how individuals' attitudes to the new travel trend fitness journeys, with basis in gender and society's expectations. The study is about how Apollo and Ving’smarket looks for the segment fitness trips, but also how these two agencies can broaden it’s audience and attract the younger crowd who are individuals aged 30 years and younger. The study has a gender perspective, and therefore it is of interest to write about how women's and men's perception of fitness trips are different. The study is based on two methods, qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative approach is an interview form that was sent out through e-mail to Jenny Tägtström at Apollo who works as a sales-and marketing Co-ordinator and Magdalena Öhrn at Ving with the position as a communication manager. The quantitative method was designed as a questionnaire sent out through Facebook in different training groups, a total of 301 responses were submitted. The responses have been analyzed and reconnected with the theories that was further on used in the study. The theories that the study related to is stereotypes theory,escape seeking dichotomy, gender theoryabout the different gender rolesandidentity building theory. The study presents that it ́s manly the gender women who contribute in this kind of trips in a greater extent then men. The gender plays a big role when it comes to choose a fitness trip or not but also in the everyday society. The result also shows that there is room for Apollo and Ving to review their marketing as they currently do to them self-market themselves to a larger target group then they actually do but they miss the younger potential consumers which is individuals aged 30 years and younger

Various forms of trauma are regularly reported across the spectrum of counseling settings and the potential negative psychological effects on counselors who are repeatedly exposed to traumatic material are well documented. However, many researchers suggest that vicarious traumatization can be prevented and mitigated with personal and professional self-care strategies. The American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics indicates that counselors have a professional responsibility to engage in self-care activities, as efforts to ensure the psychological health of counselors will have a direct effect on their ability to help clients. The purpose of this mixed-method, descriptive, correlational research was to explore what types of educational preparation and training counselors have received regarding self-care and what types of self-care strategies counselors are using. The efficacy of those training methods and self-care strategies when implemented were also measured, from the perspective of the participants. The Self-Care Training and Implementation Questionnaire (STIQ), a 19-item, structured and semi-structured questionnaire developed for this research, was electronically sent to 3000 randomly selected members of ACA, resulting in 310 responses, 286 of which were deemed appropriate for inclusion. Analysis included descriptive analyses (quantitative data) and content and theme analyses (qualitative data). The results of this study indicated that counselors recognized the value of self-care and participated in activities that promoted a healthy lifestyle and mitigated stress, thus working toward a balance that fostered effective work performance. However, the findings demonstrated that most counselors do not receive formal self-care training and self-care has been an endeavor pursued independently, outside of education and work settings. Implications for counselor education, training, policy and research are discussed.